‘Trees along Konkan wildlife corridor felled for mining, infra’
MUMBAI:DESPITE a ban on tree felling at the Dodamarg-sawantwadi wildlife corridor in south Konkan, petitioners before the Bombay high court (HC) have alleged deforestation across 639.62 hectare (ha) for mining, construction of roads, and rubber plantations for over 10 years.
Through successive orders over the past decade, the HC in 2012 and 2013, based on 2011 petition by Awaaz Foundation, had directed the Union environment ministry and Maharashtra government to ensure the 38 km-long and 10km-wide corridor in Sindhudurg district to be protected as an eco-sensitive area (ESA) where environmentally destructive activities are prohibited. The HC had reiterated its order in 2018, based on a 2016 petition by NGO Vanashakti, declaring the belt a ‘no tree felling zone’.
“The wildlife corridor is being steadily denuded. After brazen disobedience of HC orders, the state has chosen to do little to protect the region’s ecology. Repeated reminders to authorities have fallen on deaf ears. Our only hope is the judiciary to intervene again,” said Stalin D, director, Vanshakti. On Wednesday, the HC bench headed by chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice AS Gadkari, while hearing an interim application (IA) by Vanashakti through videoconferencing, directed the Union environment ministry to file their response regarding the steps taken to comply with previous HC orders. The matter has been kept for hearing on Friday.
Parag Vyas, advocate appearing for the Centre told HC that the environment ministry would be finalising the Western Ghats ecosensitive zone final notification by September. However, as per submissions by the petitioner and confirmation by the state forest department, the entire Dodamarg taluka and majority of Sawantwadi had been left out of the draft notification proposed by Maharashtra. “As far as the ESA declaration for this particular corridor is concerned, Maharashtra will have to inspect and submit a proposal demarcating the exact area proposed as ESA for the corridor,” Vyas said.
The NGO’S affidavit alleged contempt by Central and state bodies for non-implementation of previous court orders for failing to declare the ESA even after seven years.
Nitin Kakodkar, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) said, “The state is committed to notify the proposed area as an ESA. We have appointed Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, to identify the area of the corridor, which will be sent as a proposal to the state and Centre. However, due to the pandemic, execution of the study has been delayed.”